Family Life

07.02.10 | FL News Team

(New Orleans, LA)  --  A federal judge in New Orleans is scheduled to hear arguments this morning on whether BP should be allowed to continue conducting controlled burns on the massive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico.  Four environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against BP and the U.S. Coast Guard claiming the controlled burns are killing sea turtles, in violation of the Endangered Species Act.  The groups have asked for a temporary restraining order to stop the controlled burns until a system can be implemented that would allow rescue crews to remove sea turtles from designated areas before each controlled burn.  Lawyers for BP, the government and the environmental groups conducted negotiations yesterday and this morning.  Todd Steiner, executive director of the Turtle Island Restoration Network, said last night that the negotiators were close to a deal.